Brisket Chili questions.

[NCGrimbo]

I've decided to make some chili and use brisket as the protein. So I have a few questions about this. The recipes I'm finding on the internet show cooking the brisket in a pot on the stove before adding the other ingredient and slow cooking to completion. I'd like to smoke the brisket instead of cooking it on the stove. Do I take the brisket to 205 like I would normally do or should I run it to about 165-175 then finish it with everything else in a pot? Also, point only, flat only, or point and flat?

I won't ask about beans since I know what I like. :mrgreen:

Thanks!

 

[Bill-Chicago]

I seem to only have flat for chili, the point is long gone.


But I've never made brisket chili with the intention of starting with brisket especially for it.


For me, its brisket cooked normally on day 1, eaten as brisket on day 1 and 2, then maybe the following weekend, I chop and cube the "leftover" brisket and make chili.


Depending on the size of your brisket, starting with that intention means you'll have like pounds and pounds of brisket. That, will make a ton of chili.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

And you know you always add beans to a bowl of Texas red.


Right Jorge?

 

[CptKaos]

we make Texas Red (chili) with leftover smoked brisket (flat only) cut into 1/2-3/4" cubes, and use beer instead of water (shiner bock preferred), and NO BEANS

 

[16Adams]

Separate point from flat
Smoke the point and cube small, like smaller than dice, small like a Junior Mint.
Grind the flat to desired coarseness
Smoke the ground meat too.

Now you have your protein 100% brisket so you can claim Brisket Chili, not Chili With Brisket (which is what I do mostly) I don't use smoked flat, nor smoked cubed flat. It splinters and shreds. Point holds it's shape. I prefer, and Bride's preference is 75% Ground 25% small chunks. No shreds no pulled no string meats.

As for recipes, beans, fresh versus mixes. Again Your House Your Rules.
Same with crackers, cornbread, tortillas, Fritos, toppings etc

Your house Your rules.

I love chili

I'm somewhat envious

Great topic

 

[16Adams]

Disclaimer, caveat. I hang at the select/choice Brisket Bin. I've no clue how a Prime, Prime+ nor Wagyu brisket flat behaves when smoked and boiled.
I do cook chili often, usually with acceptably edibles results. Almost everyone who has eaten my chili has gone on to live a normal healthy life

 

[bowhnter]

Every fall I smoke a brisket specifically for the freezer to use in chili.

 

[timzcardz]

Unlike Bill I have cooked brisket with for the primary purpose of making chili.

Cook it like you normally cook the brisket.

I usually only use the flat in the chili though, because the point is just soooo good as burnt ends that I can't bring myself to include it in the chili.

And don't forget the cocoa powder.

 

[oldgfbbq]

you might consider using some ground beef so you have grease/fat to cook onions and other stuff. then add chopped brisket later

 

[thirdeye]

I'd like to smoke the brisket instead of cooking it on the stove. Do I take the brisket to 205 like I would normally do or should I run it to about 165-175 then finish it with everything else in a pot? Also, point only, flat only, or point and flat?

Thanks!

I've used leftover brisket in chili or stew, or things like beef & noodles or beef & rice.... but when I plan on a brisket chili (or chuck, or some of each) I grind it very coarse. And, if I want some smoky flavor on it I just season the 'chili grind', then put it in a foil pan and smoke it for a few hours. Mrs ~t~ seasons the top of ground pork when she makes green chili, so this technique works on a red chili too.

 

[Itsdone]

There is really no need to cook to 205F since you will be dicing and simmering in liquids (basicly braising ) I personally don't care for smoked brisket in my chili, but i do make texas red with braised chuck roast.


So if you want that smoked brisket flavor in your chili, just smoke it for 4 hours and finish it in the pot. The longer you cook it out of the pot, the more beefy juices your losing.


Alternatively, you could smoke for 4 hours, and transfer to a foil pan and add your liquids and chili spices and smoke longer, but the longer you cook it before cubeing it, the harder its going to cube and you'll end up with a shredded mess in the pot.

 

[SMOKE FREAK]

Almost everyone who has eaten my chili has gone on to live a normal healthy life

I'd like to live a normal healthy life.
Maybe I should eat some of your chili...

 

[Itsdone]

I've used leftover brisket in chili or stew, or things like beef & noodles or beef & rice.... but when I plan on a brisket chili (or chuck, or some of each) I grind it very coarse. And, if I want some smoky flavor on it I just season the 'chili grind', then put it in a foil pan and smoke it for a few hours. Mrs ~t~ seasons the top of ground pork when she makes green chili, so this technique works on a red chili too.

While grinding your own for chili is better then store bought ground beef, Its not the same as cubed beef for texas red. Its in another ball park. It seems OP is after cubed beef for texas red.

 

[WilliamKY]

While grinding your own for chili is better then store bought ground beef, Its not the same as cubed beef for texas red. Its in another ball park. It seems OP is after cubed beef for texas red.

Admittedly I've never had chili that had cubed chunks of beef. I suppose it exists but I've never encountered it. Seems more like stew to me. I would guess the OP who never mentioned cubed beef would cut the smoked brisket into cubes and as it slow simmers in the pot it would break down. Just a guess.

 

[Itsdone]

Admittedly I've never had chili that had cubed chunks of beef. I suppose it exists but I've never encountered it. Seems more like stew to me. I would guess the OP who never mentioned cubed beef would cut the smoked brisket into cubes and as it slow simmers in the pot it would break down. Just a guess.

Im sure you heard of Meat Church.


https://www.meatchurch.com/blogs/recipes/texas-red-chili

3-4 lbs of stew meat, cubed (sub chuck roast, brisket or game meat)

 

[JclinATX]

I’ve only used leftover smoked brisket in chili. It’s a pretty fatty cut so even after smoking I still have to do trimming. I slice thickly, trim, then cube. I then render the trimmings in the chili pot, remove the ‘cracklins’, then start wilting onions in the same pot, draining some grease if needed. The cracklins are a good snack while you cook.

Using the smoked brisket adds a lot of flavor, which works really well for some recipes and poorly in others to my tastes. Generally not so well in sweeter, savory chilis, and better in hot & spicy ones.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[NCGrimbo]

Admittedly I've never had chili that had cubed chunks of beef. I suppose it exists but I've never encountered it. Seems more like stew to me. I would guess the OP who never mentioned cubed beef would cut the smoked brisket into cubes and as it slow simmers in the pot it would break down. Just a guess.

My original thought was shredded when I started the chili due to the tenderness of a 205 degree brisket. But I'm now leaning towards smoking just long enough to get some smoke on it, then cubing and making the chili with that. I think I will cut the brisket into 2" cubes to smoke and then cut into 1/2" or smaller after smoking.

Thanks for all the suggestions and comments.

 

[16Adams]

My original thought was shredded when I started the chili due to the tenderness of a 205 degree brisket. But I'm now leaning towards smoking just long enough to get some smoke on it, then cubing and making the chili with that. I think I will cut the brisket into 2" cubes to smoke and then cut into 1/2" or smaller after smoking.

Thanks for all the suggestions and comments.

There's really no wrong way. Right Way chili is what you create and enjoy. Chili is an emotional dish for a lot of folks. As my Methodist Sunday school teacher taught me, you have to be confident enough in your own beliefs to listen patiently to the beliefs of others. And trust me there are lots of beliefs on chili cooking.

Bones Hooks was a famous well respected man of color during the settlement of The High Plains. He wrote a prayer about chili

 

[16Adams]

Link to Bones Hooks Chili Prayer

https://www.paeats.org/news/2008/thank-you-lord-for-chili/

 

[WilliamKY]

My original thought was shredded when I started the chili due to the tenderness of a 205 degree brisket. But I'm now leaning towards smoking just long enough to get some smoke on it, then cubing and making the chili with that. I think I will cut the brisket into 2" cubes to smoke and then cut into 1/2" or smaller after smoking.

Thanks for all the suggestions and comments.

That should work great. My comment was referring to the finished product in the bowl where the meat breaks down. I've smoked chuck roasts and cubed them for chili. You dont even need to worry about the beef being overcooked because it's going in chili. I like heavy smoke on the roast so the flavor holds up during simmering. Sounds like you got an awesome pot of chili coming.